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'Black Panther' Stars Surprise Inglewood Teen With Scholarship In Quest To Make The World 'More Like Wakanda'

Wakanda is truly forever.

Ashleigh Lakieva

| December 06 2018,

4:05 pm

Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira announced The Black Panther Scholarship and gifted the first award to a lucky young lady from Inglewood.

The three Black Panther stars made the announcement on Wednesday during The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment event. Every year, the scholarship will be awarded to a mentee from the publication’s Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.

"We know that if we want to live in a world that looks more like Wakanda, the first step is you invest in women and girls," Guirira declared.

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The first recipient, 17-year-old Kalis, received a $250,000 award to Loyola Marymount University. The Inglewood native aspires to be a pediatric dermatologist.

Kalis wants to be an example to other kids from similar backgrounds.

"I would like to thank my parents who birthed me, who made me who I am today,” the teen said during her acceptance speech. “I just want to stand and say this is for girls who live in Compton, who live in Inglewood, and this is for girls and men who face adversaries. I just want to say that we can do it, and it is possible."

This isn't the first time generosity occurred in the name of Wakanda. Disney donated $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club in February to celebrate the film's release, according to the BBC. The money was dedicated to children interested in exploring careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It followed the "Black Panther challenge," which consisted of celebrities and other public figures raising money to help underserved communities view the film.

News

'Black Panther' Stars Surprise Inglewood Teen With Scholarship In Quest To Make The World 'More Like Wakanda'

Wakanda is truly forever.

Ashleigh Lakieva

| December 06 2018,

4:05 pm

Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira announced The Black Panther Scholarship and gifted the first award to a lucky young lady from Inglewood.

The three Black Panther stars made the announcement on Wednesday during The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment event. Every year, the scholarship will be awarded to a mentee from the publication’s Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.

"We know that if we want to live in a world that looks more like Wakanda, the first step is you invest in women and girls," Guirira declared.

Like what you're reading?Get more in your inbox.

Welcome to the family! Check your inbox for your confirmation.

The first recipient, 17-year-old Kalis, received a $250,000 award to Loyola Marymount University. The Inglewood native aspires to be a pediatric dermatologist.

Kalis wants to be an example to other kids from similar backgrounds.

"I would like to thank my parents who birthed me, who made me who I am today,” the teen said during her acceptance speech. “I just want to stand and say this is for girls who live in Compton, who live in Inglewood, and this is for girls and men who face adversaries. I just want to say that we can do it, and it is possible."

This isn't the first time generosity occurred in the name of Wakanda. Disney donated $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club in February to celebrate the film's release, according to the BBC. The money was dedicated to children interested in exploring careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It followed the "Black Panther challenge," which consisted of celebrities and other public figures raising money to help underserved communities view the film.

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